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Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I think it's a bad idea for a business that depends on consumers to make a political statement one way or the other. My only exception is when it involves speaking out against prejudice and discrimination. It is his right to free speech to say whatever he wants, true, but it is his responsibility to his share holders to not alienate the market. I think people get mad at consumers for boycotts and not respecting free speech, but that is how the free market rolls. As a business you should be careful.
Whole Foods in Austin has this thing I call the Wall of Shame. You go up this strange electronic walkway thingy, and you see all these optimistic posters of the beginning stages of Whole Foods and the stores they opened. Then when you go down you just see the word "acquired," "acquired," "acquired," repeatedly, and I may be wrong, but it is seems to me that the acquiring was really a buying out of small independent stores.
I do feel alienated by his comments on health care. I don't agree, and it is truly important to me. I know so many people that fall into these crazy categories that make it difficult to get healthcare through employers. I don't think I am self-righteous or a hypocrite that I choose not to spend my hard earned money at a business when a CEO makes it easy for me to know his opinions. I know there are a lot of bad practices out there that I could onyl find out with a bit of investigation. He made it easy for me to see that he is speaking out against something that concerns me. Just sell me your goods, hold your politics. This blog often talks about making conscientious choices in how you spend your money, why is this different?
It is easy for him to make a statement about healthcare. He could probably pay for several organ transplants and the accompanying meds with cash outright.
This economic downturn is not a time to turn away any paying customers. I used to make special trips to Whole Foods to get items unavailable at my regular market. My regular market is probably much more conservative than Whole Foods, BUT they know how to keep their mouths shut for the most part. I also have the satisfaction of knowing they are local-ish. Plus, I notice that they tend to stock anything that Whole Foods does if you just ask. I think the workers at Whole Foods could likely get a job at the local stores. In fact, a new market style store that will only carry local products is opening. They can get a job there.
Watch It with Us: 'Top Chef Masters' Episode 9
It's not so long ago that Carla let someone take off with an idea that was just not worthy. Where did it get her?
I did not get that Chiarello was being disrespectful. The "young man" comment was not nice, but there hadn't been sabotage or any conflict in the competition until the sous chefs arrived. I thought Chiarello was keeping his cool. You could tell he was mad about the refrigerator issue, and he was not at all barking. They can say he was barking, and perhaps he was. It just didn't play that way to me as athe viewer. I think in the big scheme of things I am going to trust Chiarello over all of the sous chefs because there had only been cooperation and respect before the upstarts came. I think it is the regular Top Chef competitors that assume things need to be dramatic. They bring the drama with them.
I don't think Chiarello was brilliant in the way he worked with his team, but I don't think you could fault him either. If they hadn't sabotaged so much of the challenge, he easily could have found his food on the top.
I imagine Dale was not happy watching himself fly off the handle at one comment.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
I also noted that he did not explain what harissa was, but this is a pilot. I'm sure he would eventually start getting more educational.
I think they were both equal, one better in some areas and the other better in others.
What I liked about Jeffrey's bio was the part where he has his daughter taste the ingredient by itself. I had an epiphany that I don't do that. I have NEVER tasted an ingredient by itself. I do realize that most would be offputting, but in the end everytime I use that ingredient I would understand its place in the dish better. It was at that point that I became excited about his concept. He didn't pull it off 100%, but I think overall his idea was the more compelling.
It's hard to say that Melissa should not have won just because I, personally, am more interested in Jeffrey's concept. This is especially so since I loved her muffin gratin. It was genius.
I am looking forward to her show and hope to see Jeffrey's concept somewhere, even if it is a video blog.
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The Best Chocolate Chips for Cookies
Last weekend I made cookies using a package of See's baking chips I'd been hoarding for a few years (yes a few years.) They look just like the picture, and I was happy with them. With that said, obviously it is not easy to get See's where I live, and they aren't exactly cost effective.
I used Valrhona before to good result, but between See's and Valrhona making chocolate chip cookies become prohibitively expensive. I also can't help but wonder if some of the high quality chocolate taste doesn't get lost in the baking. I would gladly spend extra for noticeable taste difference and just bake cookies less - husband likely does not agree with this sentiment, but I'm not convinced there is a taste difference. I've never eaten expensive versus affordable chips one right after the other.
I cannot wait to try Guittard or Ghiradelli, because they are at least 1/4 the cost of the Sharffenberger, Valrhona or See's. Maybe I should do a blind taste test with friends.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I think it's a bad idea for a business that depends on consumers to make a political statement one way or the other. My only exception is when it involves speaking out against prejudice and discrimination. It is his right to free speech to say whatever he wants, true, but it is his responsibility to his share holders to not alienate the market. I think people get mad at consumers for boycotts and not respecting free speech, but that is how the free market rolls. As a business you should be careful.
Whole Foods in Austin has this thing I call the Wall of Shame. You go up this strange electronic walkway thingy, and you see all these optimistic posters of the beginning stages of Whole Foods and the stores they opened. Then when you go down you just see the word "acquired," "acquired," "acquired," repeatedly, and I may be wrong, but it is seems to me that the acquiring was really a buying out of small independent stores.
I do feel alienated by his comments on health care. I don't agree, and it is truly important to me. I know so many people that fall into these crazy categories that make it difficult to get healthcare through employers. I don't think I am self-righteous or a hypocrite that I choose not to spend my hard earned money at a business when a CEO makes it easy for me to know his opinions. I know there are a lot of bad practices out there that I could onyl find out with a bit of investigation. He made it easy for me to see that he is speaking out against something that concerns me. Just sell me your goods, hold your politics. This blog often talks about making conscientious choices in how you spend your money, why is this different?
It is easy for him to make a statement about healthcare. He could probably pay for several organ transplants and the accompanying meds with cash outright.
This economic downturn is not a time to turn away any paying customers. I used to make special trips to Whole Foods to get items unavailable at my regular market. My regular market is probably much more conservative than Whole Foods, BUT they know how to keep their mouths shut for the most part. I also have the satisfaction of knowing they are local-ish. Plus, I notice that they tend to stock anything that Whole Foods does if you just ask. I think the workers at Whole Foods could likely get a job at the local stores. In fact, a new market style store that will only carry local products is opening. They can get a job there.
Watch It with Us: 'Top Chef Masters' Episode 9
It's not so long ago that Carla let someone take off with an idea that was just not worthy. Where did it get her?
I did not get that Chiarello was being disrespectful. The "young man" comment was not nice, but there hadn't been sabotage or any conflict in the competition until the sous chefs arrived. I thought Chiarello was keeping his cool. You could tell he was mad about the refrigerator issue, and he was not at all barking. They can say he was barking, and perhaps he was. It just didn't play that way to me as athe viewer. I think in the big scheme of things I am going to trust Chiarello over all of the sous chefs because there had only been cooperation and respect before the upstarts came. I think it is the regular Top Chef competitors that assume things need to be dramatic. They bring the drama with them.
I don't think Chiarello was brilliant in the way he worked with his team, but I don't think you could fault him either. If they hadn't sabotaged so much of the challenge, he easily could have found his food on the top.
I imagine Dale was not happy watching himself fly off the handle at one comment.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
I also noted that he did not explain what harissa was, but this is a pilot. I'm sure he would eventually start getting more educational.
I think they were both equal, one better in some areas and the other better in others.
What I liked about Jeffrey's bio was the part where he has his daughter taste the ingredient by itself. I had an epiphany that I don't do that. I have NEVER tasted an ingredient by itself. I do realize that most would be offputting, but in the end everytime I use that ingredient I would understand its place in the dish better. It was at that point that I became excited about his concept. He didn't pull it off 100%, but I think overall his idea was the more compelling.
It's hard to say that Melissa should not have won just because I, personally, am more interested in Jeffrey's concept. This is especially so since I loved her muffin gratin. It was genius.
I am looking forward to her show and hope to see Jeffrey's concept somewhere, even if it is a video blog.
Buenos Aires Is a So-So Food City
I don't necessarily agree with the description.
I think if a place has a unique cuisine then it can still be a food city and not meet the description. Take New Orleans, they don't have to cater to any food obsessed needs. They just have to do what they do.
A city could also do one thing exceptionally well and still make the cut. Austin is a food city even according the the description above, but San Antonio is not. However, even San Antonio's bad Mexican restaurants still make homemade tortillas and have kick ass salsa. I defy you to find a bad breakfast taco there. Perhaps not awesome one, but never ever bad.
You should also never judge a city on one trip or experience.
Costco and Big Box stores for food: way or no way?
I'm not sure how regional CostCo's are, but they sell a coffee brand called Ruta Maya, free trade and delicious. The price and quantity is a steal, and as far as I can tell unavailable elsewhere.
The wine is about 1/2 price in some cases.
Cook the Book: 'On the Line'
with fish - grilled or any other simple preparation
with shrimp - etouffee
I don't go there, because I can't eat the food
We never had proper mashed potatoes growing up. My mom would boil peeled potatoes, and we each got our own half of a potato to mash up with our fork and add butter/salt. I loved it.
When we started talking about mashed potatoes we got next door, instead of figuring out how they did it, she began buying boxed potato flakes.
My significant other is a bit compulsive about how his potatoes should be made and makes gagging noises when the word instant potatoes are uttered, so he INSISTED on our first Thanksgiving with my mother that he make the potatoes.
He wasn't used to her stove and pots, so he thought they came out not up to par that time. My mother, though, talks about them to this day. She's the one that insists that he make them now.
My mother, who has a good excuse in that she is Korean and not American, has always tried to approximate what she has eaten at other American households. If she eats a dish at a place that makes it terribly, then she makes it terribly. It just took that one time of eating proper homemade potatoes to change her mind.
My suggestion for the poster is to get ballsy and insist on making at least one item. Convert the mom one dish at a time.
Favorite Food from the '90s?
make something similar to capio - the cold espresso drink with the cool commercials.
Weekend Book Giveaway: 'American Cheeses'
pure luck farm goat cheese
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Zingerman's Praise the Lard Gift Box
eating bacon as a child, it was so tasty
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Edible Chocolate Box from Charles Chocolates
flourless chocolate cake
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks
filet mignon or sirloin
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Zingerman's Praise the Lard Gift Box
Eating barbecue in Memphis. Eating at barbecue places always feels like you are eating like a local. The pulled pork was interesting and delicious. Don't remember too much of Memphis except the barbecue,music and bookstores.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Southside Market Sausage
Mann's in Austin if you can't leave North Austin,
used to be John Mueller's before it closed
Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey Here!
I think the vegetables side dish page had the most recipes I want to try. We just bought a huge bag of fresh green beans at the farmer's market, so I think I will try one of the green bean recipes even before Thanksgiving.
Cook the Book: 'Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics'
bruschetta based on a dish served at Mandola's in Austin: grape tomatoes cut in half, olive oil, basil, garlic to taste served on grilled bread of good Italian quality rubbed with a garlic clove
Soda Pop Stop: One-Stop Shopping for 450 Different Sodas
I miss Red Creme. I think Fanta put it out. They served it at the bowling alley, and it was perfect in my nostalgia fogged estimation.
The Great Vegan Honey Debate
@Doctrine - are you being sarcastic, trying to prove my point. If so, that is very good.
Cook the Book: 'A16 Food + Wine'
1994 Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon
It was memorable in many ways. It was my first time buying wine in earnest and not just grabbing any bottle in the grocery store. Some place in town was having a buy a bottle get a bottle for a nickle sale, and I went crazy. I didn't know where to start knowing very little about wine, except pat advice given me by friends and family in the past. I asked an employee to help me pick out some. One bottle I bought because the lady next to me told me to. I had however, read in some free weekly publication that the 1994 California cabs were great, so I set about looking for at least one. I got confused by the sign, and thought I was buying a much cheaper bottle. I didn't realize the price was the computed total after the sale.
I gave one bottle as a gift to someone letting me stay at their place. I later took the other bottle to dinner with my boyfriend's family. It was the best wine I had had at that point and most likely still my favorite, definitely in the top two.
The Great Vegan Honey Debate
I am not a vegan, but I feel this post set the tone for the comments that follow, that is that the debate is a silly one.
In defense of my friends that are vegan I did a little poking around. Here's the thing. Anytime profit and animals become intertwined there will be exploitation. Whether or not you extend your sympathies to animals of the insect variety is up to your conscience, but the bees are in fact exploited. Their honey is stolen, and they are fed sugar in replacement of it - which isn't as nutritious as honey. Beekeepers are not just taking the "extra." Queens are killed off prematurely - just like baby cows are killed to make veal as a natural component of milk production. Bees likely lose their lives every time honey is harvested.
A good bottom line idea in all of this debate is this: when profit and animals become intertwined, there is exploitation.
I read this website. It was the first one that popped up on google, but there is likely better out there.
http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
I recommend the stealing honey paragraph. It gets to the heart of the the exploitation or not exploitation debate. A vegan eating honey is also consuming bone char processed can sugar - which is not open up for debate as being vegan or not vegan.
Novel ideas when they are first presented may often be depicted as silly or something to make fun of. When you are able to listen to someone's idea - different from yours - with respect and preserving dignity, great things may happen.
What to Eat on a First Date
tea tree chewing sticks - maybe it's not exactly classy to chew them in front of your date but will alleviate "effects" of eating curry, pasta, etc.
Cooking With Kids: School Lunch Revolution
http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2008/05/0521discovery.html
Follow the link to read about a charter school in Austin that has rewritten an entire curriculum around gardening and eating local.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
It's funny how the people who are against a public health care option either have insurance or can afford health care. I for one cannot. I got laid off and COBRA would cost me almost $500 a month, which I can't afford to pay. How come we are supposedly the best country in the world (ha) but can't provide its citizens with health care? Every other industrialized country in the world does. We're behind Costa Rica in health care for goodness' sake! I think he did a really stupid thing by stating his opinion on this, considering tons of Whole Foods shoppers are liberals. I will still be shopping at Whole Foods because I love the food, but I am saddened to be supporting this rich, entitled jerk.
The Best Chocolate Chips for Cookies
Sign me up for Ghirardelli's bittersweet. I've also used Guittard with great results. Nestle's Toll House are not wretched, considering they're milk "chocolate." They have a pleasant aroma, texture and taste - but I wouldn't use any other milk chips. I haven't found any that taste like chocolate.
What about those huge "chocolate chunks" sold? If they tasted better, I'd use them instead of cutting chunks when I need chunks.
As for white chocolate - bleah. It tastes and feels like pure sweet fat in the mouth and bears no resemblance to chocolate.
The Best Chocolate Chips for Cookies
I use 1 1/2 cups Tollhouse chips and 1 1/2 cups Ghiradelli 60% bittersweet chips in my chocolate chip cookie recipe. The taste is incredible and the cookies disappear fast.
The Best Chocolate Chips for Cookies
This post inspired me to pick up a bag of Ghiradelli 60% semi-sweets. Now it's a toss up... choco chip cookies or chocolate chip buttermilk pancakes :-)
The Best Chocolate Chips for Cookies
Scharffen Berger 62% is my absolute favorite. The chunks hold their shape but are melted with a rich chocolate flavor. Love.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I like the quality of their produce, fish, and meats. I like the prepared foods, too. I am lucky enough to be able to afford shopping there occasionally. I disagree with a lot of what he wrote, but I am willing to let him state his position. I think either he's crazy to have not considered his editorial wouldn't piss off a lot of his customers, and he decided to go ahead with it anyway. Well, good for him in that regard. That takes cajones. I think it's ironic that for every one on the left who is boycotting them, there appears to be someone on the right who are willing to shop in their place. And it's also interesting to note that the value of their stock has been at year-long record highs during the whole boycott.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I too thought Whole Foods was expensive BUT
I WAS WRONG
My mother needs gluten free foods, we'd been shopping at Meijer & Kroger but their selection was poor so I checked at Whole Foods.
The had all of the same items PLUS more, the only difference was that they were all CHEAPER at Whole Foods - & by $2.50 to $3.00
I started a list of items I purchased frequently IE canned coconut milk
anyway with a list of 50 items I started a chart (Yes I may have too much time on my hands, anyway)
after 4 weeks I discovered that Whole foods was ALWAYS CHEAPER than Meijer or Kroger on the exact same items.
I was Shocked
I've come to the conclusion that I spend more at Whole Foods only because I buy all those wonderful extras
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
@hungrychristel
Thanks for the attempt. I understand that it is political of a fashion.Maybe I am misreaing what was reportedly said. I see anattempt to correct some of the flaws in the current system without going the route that it is a given right . If we give verything to everyone without some responsibility to earn it where does personal incentive come from ? From my perspective we have recently given way too much to far too many. Both our govn't and our people need to start practing some fiscal responsibility. If we cannot afford it we do not get it. Makes for hard choices, but I believe those choices are good in so many ways both for individuals and govn't.
As you can see, I too tend to get long- winded.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
@dasmueller - It's totally political.
In summation:
I believe the reason his customers are choosing to "boycott" the company is because the CEO's (whom runs the company) points-of-view are contradictory to a typical "liberal/democratic" stereotype/mindset that politically-eco-concious consumers tend to believe--and therefore, the politically-eco-concious-liberal consumers (WF target audience) are standing up and saying "no". "Because this company believes in something that I advocate against, I will choose not to purchase from them and contribute to their profits"
This is sort-of an ironic situation that may divide the "stereotypicals" from the "willing to learn"? Posers vs. Actualists? [Especially in a niche-grocer such as WF]
Does that help? :D
(sorry I tend to be long-winded and trail-off sometimes in regards to politics)
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I'm glad the liberals will be boycotting WF, and I hope they really do so that I won't have to deal with them when I shop there. It'll make for a much more pleasant shopping experience.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
Cuba ,Russia ,85 % of Africa, Indian Sub Continent ,Mexico ,Central America ,health ,who cares? food, hole, Whole ,organic,grass fed,his politics , your politics , are you hungry now ,will you be hungry tommorow,how far away is your food ,can you buy it . No food ,no health ,no care . Are you all that stupid?
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
Help ! Please, someone explain to me what was wrong with he said. You may not like the man because of past 'antics', his stores due to the prices etc.but from my perspective a great deal of what he says makes sense. Are we really looking to continue the staus quo of how health insurance works and just foot the bill for those who cannot afford it and those who choose not to ? I am at a loss here ?
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
I'm sorry that Mackey had a "bully pulpit" from which to receive wide distribution of his (erroneous) thoughts on health care reform. Cost and waste and future deficits didn't seem to be a concern regarding a certain platinum-plated quagmire, so I think we can have health care reform. What we really need is a single payer system, but our politicians, sadly, lack the political will for that (i.e, they are cowards concerned only with being re-elected).
He claims Canada rations it's health care...(can we get a comment on that from our Canadian friends on here?)..what does he think insurance companies do with their policies of recission, cherry-picking, and lemon-dropping?
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
Uh, should be "their seafood". Thanks.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
That guy Mackey is nutty Mc Nut Nut. He was caught logging on some financial site touting WF's stock or something. He's anti-union. Thoroughly one of the bad guys.
WF is lowest on my hierarchy after the Farmer's Market, local grocery stores, Trader Joe's. But I go there. There seafood is swill. At least here in NYC 14 St.
Whole Foods CEO Criticizes Health Care, Some Shoppers Boycott
Why does his opinion matter? I never really liked pretentious, overpriced Whole Foods anyway.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
I was thrilled that Melissa won. I think that if it had been Debbie vs Melissa that Debbie would've won. Jeffrey was always bad to me. I wanted them to kick him off a lot of the time. He was too frenetic. I think that Melissa will do well. I don't understand why they changed the concept of her show though.
Did you notice that one of last year's losers also was part of Chef vs City? Kelsey? She's a "NY Foodie" along with Claire Robinson? Geez, I can think of real foodies that would've been better competition for Aaron Sanchez and the other guy (who I can't pronounce his name). So it seems they do bring back some of the losers. I couldn't believe that they gave Adam his own show. Did you notice though that it was a travel show, not a cooking show. They didn't like him enough to give him a real cooking show.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
I swore off that show last year, when a looser won. ( the show is ALL about ratings) Who's going to win is who they want to win--- screw um!!!!! Dave
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
OK, I'm late to the party, but having watched the series (and hated myself for it) I wanted to chime in. From a marketing standpoint, I completely agree with Melissa's win. She engaged the viewer/the camera in a way that Jeffery simply did not. Despite having the more interesting concept (I know what harissa is, yet I'd never seen it used the way he did!) he just cannot relate to the camera. I found him stiff and uncomfortable, and it may well be, as someone above suggested, that what sutis him is a NO RESERVATIONS-type show on the travel channel, rather than a dumbed-down dump-and-stir show on FN.
Having said that, I'm a working housewife and I cook - a lot. I'm not Melissa's target audience - I prefer Ina Garten, Lidia Bastianich and reruns of Molto Mario - but her value to the network is huge. She's must more likeable than either Rachael Ray or Sandra Lee (less frenetic and phony) and really gives good camera. Her "four-step chicken" is indeed a great idea (albeit a very simplified version of any standard chicken saute) but she puts it into terms that the so-called harried homemaker can remember as they run through the grocery store to pick up dinner. Plus, unlike Sandra Lee - and sadly now Rachael Ray - she seems to use all real ingredients rather than lots of premade stuff loaded with preservatives, which should be a nice change for this network.
Overall, I think FN shoudl get rid of everyone but Bobby Flay (who is annoying, but can really cook), Alton Brown and Ina Garten and start over. But again, as someone above pointed out, I don't think FN is really interested in targeting the Serious Eats audience!
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
@ThreeDimen: Food Network Humor is also skeptical of Melissa's new show Food Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa D’Arabian, which premieres this Sunday, August 9, at 12:30 pm: "There’s frugal, and then there’s just ridiculous. $10 for a family of four? Let me guess, each person gets 5 strands of dry spaghetti and a crust of 3-day old bread?"
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
I agree with Remander. We're not the Food Network's market, though I'm not sure that I completely agree with Erica Gruen in the statement that "people don't watch television to learn things."
We're people who like food and like to cook (not to mention eat!). But there are a lot of people out there who don't cook. They either don't like to cook, didn't learn to cook or think that it will take hours of slaving over a hot stove to get dinner on the table every night. If these shows start getting people in the kitchen that's a step in the right direction.
The last two paragraphs of the Pollan article says, "Crusty as a fresh baguette, Harry Balzer insists on dealing with the world, and human nature, as it really is, or at least as he finds it in the survey data he has spent the past three decades poring over. But for a brief moment, I was able to engage him in the project of imagining a slightly different reality. This took a little doing. Many of his clients — which include many of the big chain restaurants and food manufacturers — profit handsomely from the decline and fall of cooking in America; indeed, their marketing has contributed to it. Yet Balzer himself made it clear that he recognizes all that the decline of everyday cooking has cost us. So I asked him how, in an ideal world, Americans might begin to undo the damage that the modern diet of industrially prepared food has done to our health.
'“Easy. You want Americans to eat less? I have the diet for you. It’s short, and it’s simple. Here’s my diet plan: Cook it yourself. That’s it. Eat anything you want — just as long as you’re willing to cook it yourself.”'
I listened to the podcast and Melissa has some good ideas -- and they're ideas that the novice cook will benefit from. I liked her concept recipe for chicken and I can see that this could be done with other quick-cooking cuts of meat or fish. A new cook might not know this.
I read a lot of cooking blogs and I'm constantly amazed how little people know about cooking. They don't know that you can use more or less (or none!) of something, especially seasonings, and still have a recipe that tastes great. Maybe not exactly like the original, but still very good.
I don't like Sandra Lee, but a friend of mine pointed out that the way she "cooks" is not only the way a lot of people cook, but what they think cooking is. If the Food Network can pull people in with Sandra Lee, then maybe they'll move on to Rachael, Giada, Paula, the Neelys, Aaron McCargo, Ina, Alton and others. Maybe after that they'll get interested in Julia, Lidia, Marcella,
And maybe they won't. But if they're inspired to actually cook more, that's a good thing.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
Yes, PLEASE give Alton Brown some more shows! If not ten, then at least one or two. He is my culinary hero, and the only reason I watch Iron Chef America. It embarrasses me to say this, but I think I have a slight crush on him, even though he is entirely too old for me, not to mention married.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
Wanna know why they pick people we (people who want to learn to cook) think suck?
Read the NY Times piece from Sunday: Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?_r=1&ref=dining
Here's the excerpt that tells it all: "Erica Gruen, the cable executive often credited with putting the Food Network on the map in the late ’90s, recognized early on that, as she told a journalist, “people don’t watch television to learn things.” So she shifted the network’s target audience from people who love to cook to people who love to eat, a considerably larger universe and one that — important for a cable network — happens to contain a great many more men."
We are not their market. Food Network is no more likely to be concerned about teaching us to cook than would be Soap Opera Network. Not their thing.
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
It takes a couple of weeks to film a season's worth of TV shows. She'll spend less time away from her children than you spent from yours. Guess that means you're the wretched human being, huh?
Watch It with Us: 'The Next Food Network Star' Season 5 Finale
What brought her to the show?
Her culinary point of view was "stay at home mother (that can cook)".
FN is marketing her as "mom".
Hubby has a new job, and the family relocates to Washington state.
So this stay at home mom, will be leaving the kids to fly across the country to New York City for TV. And it has nothing to do with "supporting the family", it's all about her.
Leaving the nanny to raise the kids...
It won't take long for mom's (stay at home or work out of home) to see through this farce, and those that can afford a nanny don't care about her $10 meals anyway.
I really don't see who her audience is.
I'm not woman bashing, I am a woman - that happened to raise her own kids while working full time.
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Last weekend I made cookies using a package of See's baking chips I'd been hoarding for a few years (yes a few years.) They look just like the picture, and I was happy with them. With that said, obviously it is not easy to get See's where I live, and they aren't exactly cost effective.
I used Valrhona before to good result, but between See's and Valrhona making chocolate chip cookies become prohibitively expensive. I also can't help but wonder if some of the high quality chocolate taste doesn't get lost in the baking. I would gladly spend extra for noticeable taste difference and just bake cookies less - husband likely does not agree with this sentiment, but I'm not convinced there is a taste difference. I've never eaten expensive versus affordable chips one right after the other.
I cannot wait to try Guittard or Ghiradelli, because they are at least 1/4 the cost of the Sharffenberger, Valrhona or See's. Maybe I should do a blind taste test with friends.